Nestled in a subalpine meadow valley in Washington, the Ranchero House is surrounded by a beautiful but demanding landscape. A Seattle family had frequented the area for years, making the three hour drive into the Okanogan National Forest for cross-country skiing and hiking. They asked Tim Hammer of CAST architecture, also based in Seattle, to design a structure that could survive forest fires, five feet of snow pack, house guests (and their ski gear), all while requiring minimum maintenance and energy usage. The result is a hardy weekend retreat that’s fine-tuned to its residents and its surroundings.